Park Background: The centerpiece of the Buffalo park system is Delaware Park, originally known simply as "The Park". 350 acres in size, it is one of the relatively few true parks Frederick Law Olmsted created; to Olmsted, only a very large, naturalistic site which would completely shield the visitor from the bustle and cares of the city could be considered a "park". It was also the first park for which Olmsted was given the opportunity to select the site to be used.
In keeping with all of Olmsted's great parks, Delaware Park has three prime elements: a prominent water feature (the "Gala Water", now named "Hoyt Lake", of 42 acres formed by damming Scajaquada Creek), a large meadow of about 120 acres, and significant wooded areas. Located at what at the time were the outskirts of Buffalo, the park was crossed by only one city street.
In a manner similar to his treatment of the traverse roads in New York's Central Park, he kept Delaware Avenue at a lower grade than much of the surrounding park, provided a viaduct to carry the park's carriage road above it, and shielded the park from it by thick plantings. Broad parkways connected this park with The Parade and The Front, the two smaller pleasure grounds of his original Buffalo design.
Geocaching has been approved by the Buffalo Parks Department. Park background text used with permission. ©1996-2003 Stanton M. Broderick
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